Ogden 6 Theatre
1227 E. Ogden Avenue,
Naperville,
IL
60563
1227 E. Ogden Avenue,
Naperville,
IL
60563
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The last few years it was open, it did revert back to playing first run movies. Classic Cinemas actually put money into the theater before it closed by replacing the seats and renovating the lobby.
That’s unfortunate, it was quite a clean operation and one of the last remaining AMC builds from that era.
“A decision was made to shutter the theatre permanently without future movie screenings and announced in June of 2020.”
I think this will be the fate of many cinemas within the next 12 months.
The AMC Ogden 6 opened November 5, 1976 with “Tunnel Vision,” “Alex & the Gypsy,” “Murder by Death,” “The Bad News Bears,” “All the President’s Men,” and Mel Brooks' “Silent Movie.” AMC Theatres left the venue after completing a 20-year leasing agreement.
Classic Cinemas Circuit took on the Ogden 6 on November 4, 1996 as Classic Cinemas Ogden 6. In February of 2020, the theatre announced that it would likely close at year’s end. However, Classic Cinemas closed during showtimes on March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A decision was made to shutter the theatre permanently without future movie screenings and announced in June of 2020. The theatre reopened for concession sales in May of 2020 and closed permanently as the Classic Cinemas Ogden 6 after a final weekend of concession sales on June 5-7, 2020. Plans called for demolition.
This is the longest-running theater in Naperville since the Naper Theater in downtown Naperville, which closed shortly after this theater opened in 1976. Hope this theater can relocate elsewhere in Naperville, or somehow be incorporated into Costco’s plans for the site. It’s a low-priced, friendly, comfortable theater that’s nearby and a nice alternative to paying sky-high prices at larger and more modern area theaters.
As of today, the petition to save the theatre had more than 13,000 signatures. Recent news that the addition of a second Costco in Naperville would shutter the Ogden 6 Theatres has brought out an influx of protest from fans of the theatre. To further the efforts, a former employee has started a petition to help save the theatre.
The former employee, who has worked at Ogden 6 since 2016 wrote, on the Change.org petition,
“This place is very different than any other movie theater. The experience is personal and you start to remember the faces that come in. I have bonded immensely with the regular guests that come in and I’m forever grateful for them and the kindness they have shown me. To see this place go would be devastating, as it would be destroying 44 years of history.” The petition, which was started Monday, had more than 13,000 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.
Owners of the Ogden 6 Theatres announced Monday on Facebook that the theatre would likely have to close or relocate to make way for a Costco that is preparing to build at the Ogden Mall in the space that was formerly home to KMart. The news brought a flood of comments from longtime fans of Ogden 6 who shared their memories and lamented the impeding closure.
The petition, which aims to “bring attention to Costco, the Ogden mall management, and Classic Cinemas,” also encouraged signers to share their own personal memories about the theatre and “how the demolition impacts you.”
One signer wrote, “We all (me, friends&neighbors) reacted viscerally to the news of Ogden 6’s closure. It’s a landmark to us…”
Another added, “This theater is such an important part of Naperville culture. Such memories of this place.”
Article about upcoming closing.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/ct-nvs-ogden-6-theatre-closing-costco-naperville-st-20200203-gwmtcwie2jh4rma4kwy3q7fl6a-story.html?fbclid=IwAR3ZyppyCA02bwH6voitUq_qGWZhV0m1QI0PTqWSmTXkMvhqPW6OLQ6ysa8
I uploaded the November 5th, 1976 grand opening ad in the photo section for this cinema.
The projectors are now all 4K Christie digitals. The image quality is much improved over the battered prints they used to run.
At one point early in its run as a second run theater, the price was $1.00. Now it’s $3.00. It’s well maintained, and the concession prices are cheaper than AMC or Regal, plus free refills. And, you see 8 movies, you get one free. Gotta love this theater.
http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=6359
Those are photos from 2004. It looks like it’s still fairly AMC simple, but it was a well kept and maintaned complex when we were there.
The website should be www.classiccinemas.com
Has anybody (of the CT faithful) been here recently? I know that Classic Cinemas has put a LOT of money into its theatres. How would they upgrade a 1970s cinema?
When I was a kid in the 70’s & 80’s this was the modern alternative to the declining Cinema in downtown Naperville. I saw Star Wars at least 3 times at the Ogden 6, which at the time was a better experience due to superior sound although the screens were relatively small. Since then, it has become a cheapie second-run theater, slightly run down, priced at one time around $1.50, I believe.
In many ways the AMC Ogden 6 / Barrington 6 were the precursor of todays movie supermegagiga-plexes, AMC Cantera 30 Warrenville and AMC 30 South Barrington. No accident that both generations came from AMC, I am sure, or that each is located with a couple miles of the 6’s.
When AMC was operating this theater it was a first-run
venue.